Some studies done in 2001 estimated that the income from cultivating khat was about 2.5 million Yemeni rials per hectare, while fruits brought only 0.57 million rials per hectare.
But with a monthly salary of 70,000 Yemeni rials ($326), the 1,000,000 Yemeni rials ($4,650) demanded as a dowry by his prospective father-in-law was beyond his financial reach.